NCAA probe: Staying in bounds

Take the role of a college star and try to avoid an NCAA investigation. Leave a comment and let us know if you were able to pass!

Picture this: You’re a standout college football star. You’ve led your team to multiple victories and bowl games, and you’ve brought prestige to your university’s football program.

But all of that success comes with a price. As a superstar, you’re constantly offered “rewards” for your talents.

Some of these are fine, but others can become NCAA violations. Some seem obvious. Accepting diamond watches is clearly an extra benefit. Some are trickier. Taking $20 from a former player seems harmless to most — but not to the NCAA.

In June, the NCAA began investigating the North Carolina football team. Its stated reasons were players’ improper contact with agents and receiving impermissible benefits.

Reesenews’ ‘Staying in Bounds’ game lets the user become the football player. You get to make the decisions to see if you can successfully navigate the regulations.

But trust us — just like in real life, it’s harder than it looks.

The questions are taken from NCAA guidelines for Division 1 athletes. Lance Markos, the director of compliance for UNC’s athletic department, assisted in determining the punishments.

Markos made sure to indicate that in a real NCAA investigation, the punishments are more subjective and are based on a player’s knowledge of his potential violation.

So live this life for a while. See if you can beat the NCAA at its own game.